city hall

…The battles of Arnhem and Suez City probably would never have occurred had the attacker known the strength and locations of the defender’s forces. At Stalingrad, the attacking Germans were aware of the defending forces…

…In contrast, during the Suez City battle, Israeli armor forces attacked on “armor thrust avenues” into the city, outpacing their armored personnel carrier (APC) mounted paratroop/infantry support. The Egyptian defenders lacked organic artillery (except limited…

…NSFS is most effective when firing on targets to isolate the battlefield and engage targets located on the seaward side of a city. Only when the ROE allows extensive collateral damage can the full effect of…

…Throughout history, military planners have viewed cities as centers of gravity. As such, in war, cities are something to be either protected or taken away, depending upon one’s perspective (MCDP 1, Warfighting). Cities house the…

…Defending a city can cause an attacker to commit a significant amount of his/her forces which reduces his/her capability to attack elsewhere. The defense of a city can delay the overall offensive capability of…

…The area may have been declared an “open city” because it is undefended or of religious or historical significance. By international agreements, open cities are demilitarized and must be neither defended nor attacked. (See HR, 25…

…The two basic types of houses in the western world are located in and around cities and in rural areas. City-type houses are normally mass-construction brick buildings. Rural-type buildings in the continental United…

…The intensity of fighting during the battle for Khorramshahr earned the city the nickname, “City of Blood.” (Length of battle: 14 - 30 days) (Casualties: Iraqi, 3,000 - 9,000; Iranian, estimated in the thousands) r. Zahle…

…Defensive Options (1) Defense Outside the City. The commander may defend from outside the city. This option is often selected when the terrain surrounding an urban area offers an advantage to a defender and when his…

Twenty two modern urban battles are discussed to illustrate the trends, dominant factors, and principles of combat in urbanized areas. (The majority of this material is extracted from the 1987 study, Modern Experience in City Combat…